Treyger Calls for Hot, Nutritious Meals at Schools
Council Member Mark Treyger (D-Coney Island, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, Gravesend) sent a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYC Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza, and NYC DYCD Commissioner Bill Chong requesting that the City provide hot, nutritious and culturally appropriate meals at DOE school sites, Learning Bridges childcare locations, and Learning Labs.
Treyger has received numerous complaints from families about inadequate food options, which is contributing to food insecurity concerns citywide. Serving hot meals during the winter months would go a long way to better meet the needs of students and families especially as we head into a very concerning phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I have heard from numerous educators, administrators, and nonprofits about food waste and social-emotional challenges resulting from our inability to meet children’s desire for hot food. Many have even dug into their own pockets or relied on private funding to meet their students’ needs. Students cannot learn if they are hungry, and we must make sure we are providing meals that are on par with the lunches students can receive during a typical school year,” said Treyger.
Colton Tells All About New Public Park
Assemblyman William Colton (Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, and Dyker Heights) alerts the community that the City Administration is trying to turn I.S. 228’s also known as David A. Boody schoolyard into a public park.
“At the Community Planning Board 11 meeting, concern was raised from the numerous community residents about the City Administration wanting to turn the schoolyard attached to I.S. 228 into a public park. Community Board 11 claims that there was no proposal present to them. There was no transparency with the local community. The local community was not surveyed. My understanding is that West 4th and West 5th Streets are narrow streets and if this plan is true it will be strongly opposed by many community residents. I believe that this project will create serious safety, health, and quality of life issues not only for the neighborhood but also for I.S. 228 which has been a shining star of quality education,” Colton stated.
“I was told that the City claims if the City will not proceed, they will lose 4.5 million dollars that were allocated for this project. A few months ago, the Mayor stated that he is considering the elimination of 22,000 city jobs due to the budget deficit, yet he wants to waste 4.5 million dollars on the project that makes no sense and is unwanted by the community, especially when there is a public park a few blocks away from the location. Instead of throwing money into unneeded projects, he should consider spending it on schools which is essential, or at least on improving health and safety in existing parks,” Colton added.
Myrie on School Closing, Flu Shots, and More
State Sen. Zellnor Myrie (D-Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Gowanus, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, South Slope, Sunset Park) updates his constituents about current news and events.
Schools:
- The Mayor announced that New York City public school buildings would close for in-person instruction effective tomorrow, November 19. This is very unwelcome news and we are awaiting further details about this decision and at what point families can expect schools to reopen. In the meantime, remote learning continues for all students beginning tomorrow.
Moratorium:
- In the early days of the pandemic, New York enacted an eviction moratorium to offer some relief to tenants facing difficulty paying their rent. The moratorium has been extended several times by the Governor, and the latest iteration is set to expire on January 1. However, the existing moratorium contains many exemptions, leaving vulnerable tenants who live in units not covered by rent regulations or those involved in holdover cases, whether for cause or non-renewal of a lease. My bill, the Emergency Housing Stability and Displacement Prevention Act, would strengthen and extend the current moratorium and was discussed in a recent City Limits article.
Businesses:
- Small business owners- take our survey: We know that the ongoing pandemic has created significant hardships for small businesses throughout our district and across the country. Over the next month we will be collecting ideas and feedback from small business owners to inform our ongoing efforts to provide meaningful relief. Please click here to complete the survey and share it within your networks.
Testing Cites:
- Free, walk-up testing is available at the following sites in or near our district (no appointments required).
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- Sunset Park
- Brooklyn Army Terminal, 140 58th Street (everyday, 9am-7pm)
- Flatbush
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County, 451 Clarkson Avenue (Monday-Saturday, 7am-6pm and Sunday, 9am-1pm)
- Don’t see your neighborhood listed?
- Click here to browse testing locations across the city. Note that some may require appointments or charge a fee.
- Sunset Park
Flu Shot:
- The flu vaccine is widely available for all New Yorkers. Check with your regular health care provider to see if they have the flu vaccine. Many community health centers, hospitals along with H+H City-run clinics provide no or low-cost flu vaccines to patients as well as accept non-patients for flu vaccination. Flu vaccine is available at chain pharmacies, like CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens and Duane Reade, and at many independent pharmacies. Pharmacists can vaccinate children as young as age 2. Check with your local pharmacy to confirm if they are providing flu vaccine and if they vaccinate children and the age ranges they can serve. New Yorkers can use the Health Department’s NYC Health Map, call 311, or text FLU to 877-877 to find a flu vaccination. Flu vaccine is covered by most health insurance plans without a co-pay.
Bichotte, Louis Hold Thanksgiving Turkey Distribution
Assemblymember and Kings County Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte (D-Flatbush, Ditmas Park) and City Council Member Farah Louis (D-(D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Marine Park, Flatlands, Kensington) today are partnering with Plaza Auto Mall to provide over 500 turkeys to families in need.
The giveaway comes as food insecurity in the city could rise 38% by the new year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than one million New York City residents experience food scarcity and Brooklyn has seen some of the greatest need.
“Thanksgiving is the time of year we express gratitude and count our blessings,” said Bichotte. “This year we are facing unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I am thankful to the people of Brooklyn, who have come together to support one another through this incredibly difficult time, to our local businesses that are supporting us at today’s event and to our elected officials.”
“United, we will prevail over this unprecedented period in our nation’s history when economic and food insecurity is at an all-time high while our local food pantries are overburdened and understocked. As we approach the Thanksgiving season, we must demonstrate a spirit of gratitude and practice the gift of giving. I am proud to join forces with Plaza Auto Mall, Jump-In Enrichment, and Brooklyn elected officials to overcome these setbacks and provide 500 struggling families with turkeys during an unusual holiday season,” said Louis.
The event is slated for between 3-6 p.m., today, Nov. 19 at Plaza Auto Mall, 2740 Nostrand Avenue in Flatbush. Please note turkeys are available for the public by reservation only. For any additional information, call 610-750-4351.
Louis on East 25th Street Historic District
City Council Member Farah Louis (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood, Marine Park, Flatlands, Kensington) supports the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) designating the East 25th Street Historic District in East Flatbush, Brooklyn.
The East 25th Street Historic District is a remarkably intact and cohesive group of 56 Renaissance Revival-style row houses that reflects the dedication of its community.
“As a proponent of community organizing and civic engagement, I fully supported this project and galvanized with the block association as we jumped into action throughout this process,” said Council Member Farah N. Louis. “The designation of the East 25th Street Historic District is a decisive win for all of us who fought to preserve history and deep family ties to District 45. The City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission now recognizes the value of the centuries-old architecture and the advocacy of every individual who invests their time and resources to beautify our neighborhood. I am proud to join my neighbors and constituents in celebrating the first-ever historic district in East Flatbush. The predominantly Black and Caribbean homeowners can now rest assured that their properties are beyond the reach of developers. Together, we will continue to protect our homes against any attempt to destroy our community’s unique architecture, beginning with the Renaissance Revival-style row houses,” she said.
The East 25th Street Historic District, which extends along both sides of East 25th Street between Clarendon Road and Avenue D, owes its exceptional cohesiveness and strong sense of place to three major factors: its construction within a very short time frame by a single developer, its architectural consistency, and its excellent historic integrity. All of the houses were built by a single developer, the Henry Meyer Building Company, between 1909 and 1912 and designed by the Williamsburg firm of Glucroft & Glucroft in the Renaissance Revival style. Each house is of one of four types, with either a limestone or brownstone front and rounded or angled bay. All of their main facades remain essentially intact. The high degree of integrity and long, unbroken rows of the historic district are especially distinctive for this area of Flatbush, with its typically more varied streetscapes.
